1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an assembly and an assembly base for growing cells or tissue culture in vitro, and more particularly to a vessel and an assembly wherein cells or other biological materials can be suspended within a nutrient medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Assemblies of various types have been developed for culturing cells. Such assemblies often include a base defining one or more wells, a cell culture insert removably positioned in a well, and a cover mounted to the base for partially or completely covering the well(s). U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,686,190, 4,871,674, 5,026,649, 5,358,871 and 5,366,893 disclose various assemblies for culturing cells. All of these patented assemblies employ a cell culture insert having a permeable bottom which is suspended within a well by a flange extending peripherally from the top portion of the insert. Other types of inserts include legs which support the insert on the bottom surface of the well such that the permeable bottom of the insert is suspended above the bottom surface.
Most of the prior art assemblies disclosed in the above-referenced patents include generally cylindrical wells and generally cylindrical or frustoconical inserts positioned within the wells. Access to the wells using a pipette or the like may accordingly be relatively difficult. In some of the prior art assemblies, pipette openings are provided in the side walls of the inserts. The size of such openings is limited by the size of the inserts. In other assemblies, limited space is provided between the insert and the side wall of the well. The insert must often be displaced or entirely removed in order to gain access to the well. The space between individual wells of many prior art assemblies is also quite limited.